Social media and divorce do not mix.
If you’re like most people, you’ve got at least a couple of social media profiles set up as a way of staying in touch with family/friends and sharing your thoughts with others. And while these are both great uses of social media, things can get a bit more complicated if you’re going through a divorce. During your divorce proceedings, things that you do or post on your social media profiles can come back to bite you. Below is a list of a few things you’ll want to be careful to avoid if you’re using social media while going through a divorce.
Going Public
When you’re going through the divorce process, it’s important that you set your social media profiles to be as private as possible. This way, you can be sure that only the people you trust are able to see what you’re up to. If you keep your posts, photos, and other information on your profile public, your soon-to-be-ex (or somebody he/she knows) could be keeping tabs on you in the effort of finding something to use against you in court.
Being Too Friendly
If you receive a “friend” request from anybody you don’t know personally (especially after set your profile to private), don’t even think about accepting it. It could very well be somebody your spouse knows who’s going to report back on your activities. Actually, it could even be your spouse on a fake profile. Play it safe and avoid adding people you don’t know. In fact, now’s a good time to comb through your friends list and delete anybody you’re not close with.
Over-Sharing
Sure, your social media page can be a great outlet for sharing your thoughts, feelings, and activities. It can be a wonderful place to vent. But above all else, the things you post when you’re feeling emotional or upset can come back to burn you in divorce court. If you need to vent about your divorce, call up one of your trusted friends on the phone or make a friend-date to see him/her in person. Avoid posting anything negative about your spouse or sharing details about the divorce.
These days, it’s important to exercise caution on your social media profiles, especially when you’re going through a divorce. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be able to avoid a lot of other problems down the road.
If you require legal assistance in other areas of Family Law you may always contact Damien McKinney of The McKinney Law Group to discuss your case further. He can be reached by phone at 813-428-3400 or by e-mail at [email protected].